Genetic algorithm application to vibration control of tall flexible structures

Presents experimental results of a genetic algorithm (GA) application for design of industrial actuators used for vibration control of tall flexible structures. Results are compared with experimental results published previously, showing the effectiveness of this design method. The method for modeling flexible structures with distributed parameters as reduced-order models with lumped parameters, is employed. Design of flexible structures is considered as a feedback search procedure where a new solution is assigned a fitness value and the GA, iterates until a satisfactory design solution is achieved. An evaluation function (fitness function) which uses the ratio between the controlled and uncontrolled peaks of the frequency response in the first mode of vibration as the measure of utility of the solution, is proposed